Youth Toolkit (En español)
If you are an SSI recipient age 14-17, visit What You Need To Know About Your Supplemental Security Income (SSI), When You Turn 18.
When you turn 18 we will need to make a new decision about your disability, that may affect your benefits. We refer to this process as an age-18 redetermination.
Youth Resources
Social Security offers special help for youth and young adults with disabilities to plan their futures.
- Check out the services and supports Social Security has to help you as you get ready for school and jobs.
- Get to know how teenagers and young adults like you can get support from national and community supports and other helpful groups.
- Learn about supports for young people who get SSI and how their benefits may change when they turn 18.
- Discover information and supports that can guide you to be more independent.
- Connect to free counseling and free employment service providers for SSA beneficiaries ages 18 - 64 who have a disability and want to work.
- Talk to experts who give free advice and help find jobs for people between 18 - 64 with disabilities who want to work.
- Learn how having a job might change the money you get from Social Security if you're 14 years old or older.
- Find training for youths with disabilities preparing to work.
There are helpful supports and services that kids who are growing up into adults can use. Parents, teachers, doctors, and anyone else who takes care of you or speaks for you can also find these tools useful. These things are here to help teens get ready to become adults in a good way.
To learn more about supports for youth transition, read our publications in the Youth Toolkit
How can benefits continue?
If we decide that you are no longer medically disabled, your benefits can continue under certain circumstances.
Learn More
It’s not too soon to start preparing for your transition. Here are a few tips to get you started.
If you are ages 14 and 15: GET PREPARED!
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Share our publications with people in your support system such as, your guardians, parents, representatives, caregivers, healthcare providers, counselors, teachers, etc. Have a conversation with them. You can ask questions like the ones below:
- What happens to your SSI payments when you turn age-18?
- How can they help you get ready for your transition?
- What programs do you qualify for? Tell them what programs you’re interested in!
- Of the programs that you’re interested in, do any of them make you potentially eligible for continued SSI payments after an age-18 medical review?
- Do you have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)? If not, should you?
- Research what reasonable accommodations you can request in educational settings and work environments.
- Consider what services you might need to achieve your future plans for continued education, vocational training and work.
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Once you’ve considered what programs you’d like to pursue, ask your guardians, counselors, teachers, advocates, etc. for help with researching things like:
- When is the best time to apply for VR services or continuing education?
- How do you begin the application processes?
- What materials are needed for the application?
- What is the typical length of waiting lists for programs or services you’d like to enroll in?
- Are there scholarships and grants available?
- Contact your local State VR and ask what services they provide and how you can enroll. Ask if there are waiting lists or timeframes you should be aware of and ask what documentation you should bring. If programs have waiting lists, apply for the program as soon as you are eligible for services.
- Get ready to apply for college, community college, or job training programs before your scheduled age-18 redetermination. You need to be in one of these programs before there's a medical review if you want to keep getting certain payments. Remember, this is really important to do on time!
- Apply for scholarships and grants that are available.
- Read the publication in our Youth Toolkit to take advantage of the supports we offer for your transition.
Download a Brochure
For best experience download adobe.
- Qualifying for Benefit Continuation After You Turn 18: EN-64-118
- What Resources and Services Are Available To Help You Earn Money?: EN-64-119
- How Can Work Incentives Help You Receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid While Working?: EN-64-120.pdf
- What You Need to Know About Earning Money and Supplemental Security Income (SSI): EN-64-121
- Turning 18: EN-64-122
- Resources for Work Equals Success for Me!: EN-64-123